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#AACusers - I can't be the only one extremely uncomfortable with professionals using/teaching #AAC exerting total control over the AAC tools?
Creating, deleting, hiding buttons.
Forcing users to stay on one page.
Recording every button push.
Thoughts?
#autism #ActuallyAutistic
Creating, deleting, hiding buttons.
Forcing users to stay on one page.
Recording every button push.
Thoughts?
#autism #ActuallyAutistic
I am watching this AAC conference session by two speech therapists and there are so many things I feel are HUGE issues.
Especially the entire premise of "What we want them to be able to say." seriously bothers me.
It honestly feels like it's all about control. Ugh.
Especially the entire premise of "What we want them to be able to say." seriously bothers me.
It honestly feels like it's all about control. Ugh.
I am completely aware that teaching and learning to use AAC may require limiting options at first.
Step by step.
But still some things I feel just shouldn't be done. Browsing, exploring, experimenting e.g. IMO should NEVER be stopped.
Babbling is how we naturally learn speech!
Step by step.
But still some things I feel just shouldn't be done. Browsing, exploring, experimenting e.g. IMO should NEVER be stopped.
Babbling is how we naturally learn speech!
I want to say "Treat teaching/learning to use AAC the same as you do a baby learning to speak."
But then people also mess that up in similar ways so I can't just say that.
But you get the idea right?
Don't exert control!
Enable the USER to exert control over their own voice!
But then people also mess that up in similar ways so I can't just say that.
But you get the idea right?
Don't exert control!
Enable the USER to exert control over their own voice!
If an AAC user wants to say "poop" fifty times...let them. That's their choice!
If it's during a lesson and you would ask a speaking student to please stop...ask the non-speaking student to stop the same way!
Don't take away their device or exert control over their device.
If it's during a lesson and you would ask a speaking student to please stop...ask the non-speaking student to stop the same way!
Don't take away their device or exert control over their device.
Just because you CAN control disabled people in certain ways doesn't mean it's ethical, or that you should.
Autonomy and agency should always be the highest priority, no matter how inconvenient it is for you.
Stop controlling AAC users voice!
Autonomy and agency should always be the highest priority, no matter how inconvenient it is for you.
Stop controlling AAC users voice!
"Guided Access" is so problematic. Everything I see people do with just feels...so unethical.
Maybe there's good things in there.
I'm just seeing so much harmful stuff.
All about making it easier for the person TEACHING AAC. All about controlling the user. Ugh.
Maybe there's good things in there.
I'm just seeing so much harmful stuff.
All about making it easier for the person TEACHING AAC. All about controlling the user. Ugh.
I have many more thoughts and no capacity to write them down.
But I know there's huge issues here and they are all based in non-AAC-users teaching AAC users how to use AAC...without any input from actual AAC users!!!
As always.
Nothing about us without us would solve this.
But I know there's huge issues here and they are all based in non-AAC-users teaching AAC users how to use AAC...without any input from actual AAC users!!!
As always.
Nothing about us without us would solve this.
"How should we teach AAC to our non-speaking students?"
Get input from your students!
Do they want "fuck" on their board?
GIVE IT TO THEM!
Talk to other non-speaking people about issues you can't (yet) get input from your students on.
NEVER assume you know everything/best.
Get input from your students!
Do they want "fuck" on their board?
GIVE IT TO THEM!
Talk to other non-speaking people about issues you can't (yet) get input from your students on.
NEVER assume you know everything/best.
You will NEVER get it right, if you don't take your LEAD from the very people affected by what you believe/say/do.
Never.
No matter your education, training, credentials, degrees, etc.
Get. Input. From. AAC. Users.
Dear actual AAC users: please share your thoughts on this!
Never.
No matter your education, training, credentials, degrees, etc.
Get. Input. From. AAC. Users.
Dear actual AAC users: please share your thoughts on this!
"We wanted to create an AAC board for use in our school so we all got together and decided which words to put on it."
ZERO concern which words the actual AAC users might WANT on THEIR board.
Didn't even occur to them.
Just total lack of awareness of this even being an issue.
ZERO concern which words the actual AAC users might WANT on THEIR board.
Didn't even occur to them.
Just total lack of awareness of this even being an issue.
Okay, I stop now.
It's too painful, too frustrating, and too infuriating...not just because THEY do this - no, they just TAUGHT others to do it too because this is a conference session.
Nothing about us without us.
NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US!
#autism #AAC #AutismAwareness
It's too painful, too frustrating, and too infuriating...not just because THEY do this - no, they just TAUGHT others to do it too because this is a conference session.
Nothing about us without us.
NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US!
#autism #AAC #AutismAwareness
